Articles by Khal
Latest from Khal
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Binance disputes Greek regulator's MiCA license application rejection report
Binance said the Greek financial regulator completed its review of the exchange's MiCA license application and found it compliant, contradicting Reuters reporting that the regulator intends to reject it.
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State Street launches stablecoin reserve fund amid Wall Street competition
State Street Investment Management introduced a government money market fund designed for stablecoin issuers, joining BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and others in competing to manage the reserves backing the rapidly growing stablecoin market.
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ECB's Lane warns energy shocks could push inflation above 3% in 2026
ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane outlined how energy supply disruptions cascade into broader inflation pressures, potentially pushing 2026 forecasts to 3.0%—above the bank's 2% target—and triggering tighter monetary policy with ripple effects across European markets.
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US-Iran deal cuts oil premiums to pre-war levels, shipping risks keep crude elevated
A US-Iran framework agreement announced June 14-15 triggered a sharp decline in crude premiums, with Dubai crude dropping to $2.06/barrel and Brent falling 5% to $82-84/barrel. Yet crude still trades $10-20 above pre-conflict levels as industry experts warn full normalization may take months.
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BlackRock BITA Bitcoin ETF launches with 15-25% yield via covered calls
BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA) began trading on Nasdaq on June 16, using covered-call strategies against its spot Bitcoin holdings to generate monthly income with a 15-25% annual yield target.
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D.E. Shaw closes hedge funds to new capital, caps redemptions
D.E. Shaw, managing over $90 billion, is closing its Valence and Multi-Asset hedge funds to new investments and capping quarterly withdrawals at 6.25%–8.3% to protect returns as quantitative strategies face capacity constraints.
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D-Wave Quantum outlines six-year plan for fault-tolerant quantum computer
D-Wave Quantum announced a six-year roadmap on June 1 to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer with 100 logical qubits by 2032, marking a strategic pivot from its historical focus on annealing systems toward gate-model architecture.
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Dell raises AI server guidance to $60 billion as crypto miners pivot
Dell Technologies raised its full-year AI server revenue guidance to $60 billion following record Q1 orders and shipments, while Bitcoin mining firms like IREN deploy billions into AI infrastructure, signaling a structural shift in hardware demand.
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South Korea Charges 23 in $11M Crypto Laundering for Cambodian Scam Ring
South Korean police referred 23 suspects for laundering approximately $11.1 million in USDT for a Cambodia-based phishing operation, with investigators freezing $431,000 in proceeds and uncovering $17 million in victim harm across 11,300 linked accounts.
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Bitcoin buyers accumulate 259,298 BTC as price dips below $60,000
Bitcoin investors purchased a net 259,298 BTC between June 5 and mid-June at prices ranging from $59,000 to $67,000, according to Glassnode data showing the strongest accumulation behavior during the current drawdown.
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Trump calls US-Iran framework deal fair as Bitcoin rises with oil
President Trump declared a US-Iran framework agreement fair on June 16, denying US taxpayer funds would flow to Iran. Bitcoin and oil markets moved higher as oil prices dipped 5% to $80 per barrel, though the preliminary memorandum remains subject to compliance benchmarks not yet publicly defined.
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Bitbank suspends accounts over Polymarket transactions amid gambling law concerns
Japan's Bitbank has warned users that transactions linked to prediction market platforms like Polymarket could trigger account suspensions, citing potential conflicts with Japanese gambling laws.
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Aztec Connect smart contract drained of $2.1M in crypto exploit
A deprecated DeFi platform's abandoned smart contract was exploited for $2.1 million in crypto assets on Sunday. The attacker exposed a flaw in how Aztec Connect verified and settled transactions, targeting seven different assets across multiple transactions.
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MicroStrategy Adds 1,587 Bitcoin to Reserves; Holdings Hit 846,842 BTC
Strategy, the world's largest public Bitcoin holder, acquired 1,587 BTC for $100 million this week, bringing total holdings to 846,842 Bitcoin. Analysts cite weak momentum despite Bitcoin reclaiming $67,000, with geopolitical tensions around a US-Iran peace deal influencing near-term price direction.
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China's retail sales contract for first time since December 2022
China's retail sales fell 0.6% year-on-year in May 2026, the first decline in over three years. Auto sales plunged 16.1% and appliances fell 15.6%, signaling weakening domestic consumption as real estate weakness and youth unemployment erode household confidence.
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Tunisia fires coach Lamouchi after 5-1 World Cup loss to Sweden
Tunisia fired head coach Sabri Lamouchi one day after a 5-1 loss to Sweden in their 2026 World Cup opener, making him the first manager in tournament history to be dismissed after just one group-stage match.
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G7 Summit Evian: AI, Digital Security Prioritized Over Crypto
The 52nd G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains focused its second day on AI safety, digital security, and child protection, with no cryptocurrency or digital assets on the agenda. The absence signals that major economies are deferring crypto regulation to individual jurisdictions rather than pursuing multilateral coordination.
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Bitcoin faces geopolitical shocks amid weak momentum
Bitcoin's recovery to $67,000 faces headwinds from weak momentum and stagnant on-chain metrics, while a potential US-Iran peace deal collapse could trigger volatility, according to LVRG Research and Swissblock analysis.
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GAO urges FDIC to coordinate with agencies on blockchain risks
The Government Accountability Office told the FDIC to establish a coordination mechanism with other federal regulators to address blockchain risks, citing a lack of ongoing oversight since 2023.
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Bybit launches XAUT options with institutional liquidity support
Bybit, a top-tier cryptocurrency exchange, has launched options trading on Tether Gold (XAUT), marking the first time a major crypto platform offers institutional-grade liquidity for the tokenized gold asset class.
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Kingboard Laminates surges 500% on AI hardware demand boom
Kingboard Laminates, a Hong Kong chipboard maker, rallied over 500% as investors bet on its role supplying AI infrastructure. The company's 2025 profit jumped 85% amid surging demand for specialty materials.
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Trump Makes First Presidential Bitcoin Purchase at Manhattan Bar
Donald Trump purchased food and drinks using Bitcoin at PubKey, a cryptocurrency-themed bar in Manhattan on September 18, marking the first publicly documented Bitcoin transaction by a sitting or former US president.
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Valve TI15 China Qualifier Day 2: Eight Teams Fight for Shanghai Spots
Eight Dota 2 teams compete in a four-day online double-elimination bracket for two spots at The International 2026 in Shanghai, with the tournament running through June 18.
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JPMorgan launches Chase digital banking in Germany, Europe's largest deposit market
JPMorgan Chase launched its digital Chase brand in Germany on May 20, marking its second European retail market after a successful UK operation that's grown to over 2 million customers. The expansion targets Europe's largest economy and deposit market with a fee-free savings account model.